Using Case Study as a Strategy in Teaching Business Studies

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The strategy of using Case Study in teaching Business Studies

Case Study – what is it?

Teaching strategy of using Case Study is defined as a particular instance of something used or analysed in order

to illustrate a thesis or principle (Oxford University Press, 2013). This method refers to teaching a completed story which

presents realistic, complex, and contextually rich situations and often

involves a dilemma, conflict, or problem that one or more of the characters in

the case must negotiate.

Case Study – Why is it important?

Using Case Study is crucial in teaching Business Studies. It provides a

stimulating and relevant framework for students to apply to problems

encountered in the business environment. Students also investigate business

planning and use a range of information to assess and evaluate business

performance (Board of Studies NSW, 2010).

Carnegie Mellon University (2013) extracted an advice from Professor

Paul Lawrence who states that Case Study is “the vehicle by which a chunk of

reality is brought into the classroom to be worked over by the class and the

instructor. A good case keeps the class discussion grounded upon some of the

stubborn facts that must be faced in real life situations.”

Using of Case Study strategy is a formal activity which often runs

throughout the lesson. It bridges the gap between theory and practice and

between academic and real situations (Barkley et al., as cited in Carnegie Mellon

University, 2013)

Case Study is an effective strategy in teaching

Business Studies because it fosters problematic knowledge, deep understanding

in intellectual quality required by the course set by the Board of Studies NSW.

In addition, learning through Case Study fosters intellectual, social and moral

development by assisting students to think critically about the role of

business and its ethical responsibilities to society (Board of Studies NSW,

2010). Furthermore, teaching Case Study promotes students learning in investigating,

synthesising and evaluating contemporary business issues and hypothetical and

actual business situations. This provides communicational business, and pushes

students to apply mathematical concepts appropriate to business situations in

order to achieve the syllabus outcomes.

From a different point of view, Stand

Ford University(2013) cites Hamel (n.d.) who argued

that a qualitative case study is limited as it depends on the sensitivity and

integrity of the writer/researcher. The researcher is the primary instrument of

data collection and analysis to produce the product [case study]. Both the

learners of case studies and the writer/s, need to be aware of biases that can

affect the final product because the issues of reliability, and validity are limited.

It is also very difficult to draw a definite cause/effect from case

studies. Further, the

case study ‘has basically been criticised for its lack of representativeness

and its lack of rigor in the collection, construction, and analysis of the empirical

materials that give rise to this study (Hamel as cited in Stand Ford

University, 2013)

Case Study – How is it

implemented? - Depending on the purpose of learning outcomes

and teaching contexts, the teacher selects appropriate case studies

It is advised that the teacher should apply six

steps to implement the teaching strategy of using Case Study (Carnegie Melon

University, 2013):

References:

Board of Studies NSW (2010). Business

Studies. Stage 6 Syllabus,pp4,5.

Carnegie Melon

University(2013). Case Study. Retrieved 25 November 2013 from http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/instructionalstrategies/casestudies.html

Oxford University

Press(2013). Definition of case study

in English. Retrieved 19 October 2013 from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/case-study

Stand Ford University(2013). Tomorrow's

Professor Msg.#1013 Strengths and Limitations of Case Studies. Retrieved 18

October 2013 from http://cgi.stanford.edu/~dept-ctl/tomprof/posting.php?ID=1013

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